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Return of the Mount Hua Sect

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1312

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Return of the Mount Hua Sect

Author:

1312

If think I know (2)

~*~

Baek Cheon, who had intended to provide support, halted his steps and blankly glanced back.

He saw Tang Pae’s back, who was wearing green robes.

The poison and venom he had spread, along with the hidden weapons he had unleashed, completely covered the rear.

‘Was it like that?’

Baek Cheon had entrusted the rear to Tang Pae because the nature of poison and his martial skills made it easy to support those in danger and ideal for obstructing those who followed closely behind.

In other words… what Baek Cheon wanted was prevention.

Not such one-sided massacre.

‘Young Lord.’

A complex emotion flickered in Baek Cheon’s eyes.

He respected Tang Pae, of course.

But he didn’t think he would be that helpful.

Being objective, considering the various aspects of those from Cheonumaeng, Baek Cheon regarded Tang Pae as barely more than a force to be reckoned with.

But now, he was proving all of Baek Cheon’s thoughts wrong with his own hands.

‘Could I break through it?’

That feast of poison?

‘Probably not.’

He could break through it. If he pushed himself, he could probably manage.

But he had no confidence that he wouldn’t be poisoned.

Baek Cheon wasn’t someone who didn’t understand what it meant to be poisoned by such lethal substances on the battlefield.

Then there are two options.

Either stall for time until Tang’s venom runs out, or wait until Tang Pae exits the narrow gorge and the potency of the poison diminishes.

‘But that’s not victory.’

By then, he would have already achieved everything he desired.

Even if winning in the ensuing battle wouldn’t be difficult, what meaning did it hold?

That path leads to victory in battles but defeat in wars.

Baek Cheon scrutinized the vial of poison in Tang Pae’s hands sharply.

It was the poison that had created this entire situation.

“What about this poison…”

“He is overexerting himself.”

Baek Cheon looked to his side at the voice.

Since entering Gangnam, Chung Myung had maintained an indifferent expression, but now a strange smile crept onto his lips.

“…Well, it’s quite bold, after all.”

“What are you talking about?”

“Look at that poison carefully.”

At Chung Myung’s words, Baek Cheon looked back at Tang Pae.

Chung Myung continued.

“They say Tang clan doesn’t fully utilize their skills in sparring. Since you never know what accident throwing a dagger might cause to the opponent, or when the condition of the poisoned person might worsen. Right?”

That was common knowledge.

“But that’s only half the truth.”

“Huh?”

Chung Myung grinned and said.

“The opponent also has to overcome the burden of dealing with poison and hidden weapons. The fact that they can’t show off their skills is nothing short of cruelty, something that Tang bastards live by.”

Baek Cheon nodded silently.

Indeed, from that perspective, Chung Myung’s words weren’t entirely wrong.

Facing opponents wielding familiar weapons like swords or spears was completely different from facing those who relied on poison and hidden weapon.

The opponent also had to approach the battle with the burden of facing unfamiliar tactics.

“The real disadvantage for Tang clan in sparring isn’t that, it’s this.”

“That?”

“That poison can’t be used in training battles.”

“Why?”

“Because there’s no antidote.”

Baek Cheon’s eyes flickered for a moment.

“Half of the Tang clan are obsessed with poison, and the other half are obsessed with hidden weapons. And among those techniques, there are some that are so devastatingly powerful that they’re deemed unfit for use on people, such as the Golden Dragon Arts [or golden dragon hidden weapon techniques (amgi)] or something, so they are sealed off.”

“That’s common knowledge.”

“Think about how absurd that is. If they’re not going to use them, why seal them off?”

“Um…”

Baek Cheon fell silent momentarily, seemingly at a loss for words.

“They’re not discarded because they intend to use them someday. If a real crisis comes, they’ll pull out everything, including the most atrocious ones.”

“…”

“And it’s not just hidden weapon techniques. It’s the most poisonous, deadly techniques in the sect. Ones so potent that even the lack of an antidote makes them incurable. So, the poisons that could provoke backlash from other sects just by being used are sealed away deep within the clan.”

“That’s…”

Swoosh!

In that moment, poison surged again from Tang Pae’s fingertips.

The poisonous clouds, entwined with venomous energy, swiftly pushed back the bloody warriors who were trying to find a way through.

Chung Myung observed the scene silently.

When you encounter those who have no worries about the lack of an antidote, the true power of Tangga becomes evident.

This sect is different from ordinary sects.

In typical sects, only a tiny minority dedicate themselves to the study of martial arts, while the majority focus on mastering martial arts to elevate their cultivation levels.

However, in the Tang clan, a significant number of individuals within the family dedicate their entire lives solely to the study of poison and hidden weapon techniques.

The reason is quite simple.

Creating excellent martial arts does not necessarily elevate the sect’s standards.

What truly empowers the sect is not the martial arts themselves, but the disciples who master them.

This is the paradox of martial arts.

Profound martial arts may elevate those who learn them to certain heights, but they demand exceptional talent, relentless dedication, and endless years of practice due to their complexity.

Were martial arts of Shaolin lacking?

Was there no martial arts guiding Wudang to lead disciples to become the best in the world?

Even for those who already possessed exceptional martial arts, struggling to fully master them is the reality for prestigious sects.

But what’s the point of researching martial arts at a higher level when even existing martial arts cannot be fully mastered?

Even if they research, they cannot create, and even if they create, they cannot fully master.

‘But poison is different.’

Even if that poison becomes meaningless at the level of absolute masters competing against each other, such masters are extremely rare in the world.

For most ordinary warriors, Tangga’s poison is nothing short of imminent death.

That’s why simply creating poison that can poison more quickly and easily can enhance the sect’s power.

“How strong you are personally isn’t that important. At least not for the sect itself.”

“…”

“What’s more important is what you hold in your hands.”

Baek Cheon’s expression tightened slightly.

Upon seeing this, Chung Myung smirked and asked.

“You thought you could take on Tang Pae anytime, didn’t you?”

“W-what are you talking about…”

“Dong Ryong. That’s why you’re still Dong Ryong. The world is vast and not so simple.”

Baek Cheon wanted to retort but ultimately remained silent.

There’s no point in arguing, it’ll only make things worse.

Chung Myung’s observation was not wrong.

Looking towards Tang Pae, Chung Myung muttered under his breath.

“However… it’s true that he is overexerting himself now.”

He’s using poison excessively.

But it’s unavoidable.

If it was Tang Bo, he would have easily wiped out all approaching enemies with just his twelve flying daggers.

But Tang Pae cannot fend off enemies with just daggers.

So, he continues to deplete the limited quantity of poison.

“In the long run…”

“In the long run, he won’t be able to hold out, right?”

Chung Myung’s and Baek Cheon’s words came out almost simultaneously.

Chung Myung glanced at Baek Cheon with a slightly surprised expression.

Baek Cheon, already withdrawing his gaze from Chung Myung, was deeply lost in thought.

His demeanor was both familiar and unfamiliar.

Right now, Baek Cheon is conversing with Chung Myung.

In the past, he would have sought answers in Chung Myung’s words, but now he’s trying to find the answers within himself.

‘I can’t even call this a chick anymore.’

Crisis toughens people, and war perfects a warrior.

Perhaps, amidst this relentless pursuit, Baek Cheon is the one experiencing the most growth.

“Chung Myung! From now on…”

“Wrong.”

Baek Cheon flinched.

Wrong?

Tang Pae will soon reach his limit.

But given the nature of the poison he’s using, it’s impossible to support him.

Even if one goes to help, can they fight within that poison around them?

In that case, the only one who can increase the speed of breaking through this gorge is likely Chung Myung.

“Just remember one thing, Sasuk.”

Chung Myung let out a laugh that could seem cruel at first glance.

“Do you know when the moment with the highest death toll in war is?”

“Why are you suddenly…”

“It’s when people think they’ve won.”

“…”

“People let their guard down then. So, remember this clearly. The ones we’re up against are also human. They’ll do whatever it takes to kill us.”

Chung Myung’s eyes shifted upward.

A towering cliff loomed like a wall in front of them.

Through the crevice, all that could be seen was the narrow, elongated strip of the sky.

“They’re coming.”

Chung Myung’s words sent a shiver down Baek Cheon’s spine.

‘Explosives? Or oil?’

For a moment, the horrors of the Black Dragon Fortress from the past flashed through his mind.

‘No! That’s impossible!’

Baek Cheon shook his head.

Detonating a cliff with explosives is not as simple as it sounds.

And to pour large amounts of oil on a high mountain, it would require a massive amount of manpower just to prepare.

The reason why Jang Ilso was able to accomplish that was because he fought by luring Gupailbang into a trap he had already prepared.

Isn’t that why Jang Ilso was so remarkable?

However, this time, that was not a feasible situation. Ho Gamyeong was pursuing them, and it was unlikely that he discovered soon enough that Cheonumaeng and Haenam would head this way. Amidst all this, it was impossible for Ho Gamyeong, who didn’t even have enough subordinates to mobilize the members of Sapaeryeon and prepare a trap in advance.

‘So, what’s coming?’

The moment of contemplation didn’t last long. In that instant, Baek Cheon saw it.

The long, narrow sky was suddenly covered by a thick, black something, and darkness descended upon the gorge.

The something that covered the sky gradually became clearer.

Baek Cheon’s eyes widened in an instant.

“That’s not clouds, damn it! They are coming from above!”

He shouted urgently.

Covering the sky were not clouds, but people. Countless warriors from the enemy’s forces were leaping down from above. There were enough of them to cover the heads of those attempting to pass through this gorge.

“No way!”

Desperation and anxiety filled Baek Cheon’s eyes. The reason they could break through this narrow gorge was that the enemy was only ahead and behind them.

Therefore, they could protect the disciples of Haenam positioned in the center.

However, if the attackers coming from above were to mix with Haenam’s disciples in the center, it would be disastrous.

In such a narrow space, if a melee broke out, it would spiral out of control, with no one able to contain the situation.

And the consequences of such a scenario didn’t need to be pondered.

But what could be done? There was no retreat possible either forward or backward!

“I am going”

“What?”

Paaaaa!

And in that moment, Chung Myung, who was standing next to Baek Cheon, leaped upward like a lightning bolt.

“Ch-Chung Myung!”

Suddenly holding the Dark Plum Sword in one hand, he sprinted up the steep cliff as if it was flat ground. The crimson energy flowing from the sword’s tip left a spectacular afterglow, drawing a red line.

“Sago!”

Tang Soso’s voice rang out loudly. Just like that, Yu Iseol, with her usual expressionless face, leaped up beside Chung Myung.

They both soared up towards the countless Sapaeryeon’s warriors descending upon them.

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Latest Release : 1974
2026-05-29 16:25:27

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